How To Make A Great Burger

The classic hamburger is considered to be the United States of America's national dish. The beloved hamburger is a household favorite all over the country. But what is considered the very best hamburger recipe? Are the best hamburgers homemade or pre-bought?

Below, we have created the perfect one-stop guide to everything 'hamburger' related. From the best beef to use and the key ingredients you need to buy, as well as a step-by-step recipe guide to the perfect hamburger, you need to look no further than here if you wish to make the very best hamburger around.

 

What Type Of Beef Should I Use In My Patty?

The critical ingredient that will either make or break your hamburger is, of course, your hamburger patty. Whether you are a fan of the thinner griddle patties or the thick and juicy 1/3 pounder patties, the foundation of your patty will be the same. Of course, many recipes push for and believe in using leaner ground beef, primarily because of health reasons. However, I am a firm believer that if you are treating yourself to a juicy burger, you should pull out all of the stops.

Therefore, I recommend opting for the combined 20% fat and 80% lean ground beef when creating the perfect hamburger patty. This classic combination ensures that your hamburger patty will be full of flavor, with a lovely texture and rich density. Do not be led into the belief that a higher fat content will result in a better hamburger. Selecting the 80%/20% ratio ensures that the fat cannot escape the burger patty while it is being cooked, which would happen if you selected a 70%/30% ratio. Do not stray from the 80/20 rule.

 

 

The Key Ingredients Needed To Make The Best Hamburgers

I cannot stress to you enough that less is more when it comes to creating your hamburger patties. Do not be led into believing that you need to add a whole host of ingredients into the patty mixture. Let the meat speak for itself.

Online, you will find a wide selection of varying recipes that will include a large number of ingredients in their hamburger patty recipes. Two popular additions are egg and breadcrumbs, with many other recipes including milk, shallots, and expensive herbs and spices. And while these additions will add something to your patties, they are unnecessarily expensive when all you need to create the classic and delicious hamburger patty, are five key ingredients.

 

 

The Five Ingredients You Need To Make The Perfect Hamburger Patty:

The following measurements are to make four 3/4 inch thick juicy patties. So, if you are cooking for yourself and your partner, feel free to cut my recommended measurements in half (unless you wish to freeze two patties for a later date). Or, depending on your family size and whether you have children, feel free to multiply the below measurements so you can serve these delectable burgers to all of your family.

For four hamburger patties, you will need:

• 1 and 1/2 pounds of 80% lean beef to 20% fat ground beef.
• Salt and pepper seasoning.
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder (equivalent to approximately 8 cloves of fresh garlic, whichever you prefer).

Yes. That is all you need to create the best hamburger patties. Of course, that is not all you will be putting on your hamburgers, so make sure you do not forget:

• Four burger buns - either seeded or brioche, depending on your personal preference.
• Fresh lettuce leaves.
• Sliced tomato.
• Onions.
• Pickles.
• And your personal sauce choice, I usually opt for either ketchup, mayo, or mustard, depending on my mood on the given day.

Now that you know everything you need to purchase from the shops to create the perfect hamburger, we can now move on to the cooking process.

 

 

The Very Best Hamburger Recipe

Right! It is hamburger day, and you are all ready to make the very best hamburgers you will ever taste in your life. So let's get started!

 

Step One: Creating The Hamburger Patties

Before we get started, do not forget to preheat your grill to a medium/high temperature.

Now, take a large bowl and add your ground beef, salt and pepper, garlic powder, or fresh garlic (depending on which you have opted to use) and the Worcestershire sauce, using the measurements provided above. It is now time to get familiar with your patties. Using your hands, mix the beef with the flavoring ingredients, ensuring that all ground beef gets an equal share.

Once you have combined everything in the bowl, divide the beef into four equal portions. It is now time to shape your patties. Using your hands again, take each portion and shape them into hamburger patties with an estimated thickness of approximately 3/4 inches.

Set the patties onto a plate and place them into your refrigerator when you have shaped all four. Allow them to rest for about 10 minutes. This allows for the proteins within your meat to relax before cooking. Then, once you start the cooking process, your hamburger patties will lose less of their juices.

 

Step Two: Cooking Your Patties

Once the resting period has ended, it is now time to cook your hamburgers. Please do this by cooking each hamburger for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked to your desired level.

After taking your patties off the grill, I like to toast my burger buns using the same grill. Of course, you must be careful not to burn the buns, but I think it adds the perfect crispy texture to your hamburger.

 

Step Three: Constructing The Perfect Hamburger

Now that everything is cooked and prepared, it is time to construct the hamburgers. I usually start by adding my sauce of choice to my burger buns, and then, for the bottom up, I add the lettuce, followed by the tomato slices and a large helping of onions and pickles. Then add your homemade hamburger patty followed by the top of your bun, and there you have it, the perfect hamburger.

And that concludes my guide to the very best hamburger. Will you be trying out my favorite hamburger recipe? It is truly delicious.